Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 is in theaters. In a shocking twist, the latest installment from Rhys Frake-Waterfield is being well-received by critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 first reviews
As of the time of this writing, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 is at 100% from six critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Even its Audience Score is high — sitting at 90% from its current reviews. For reference, its predecessor had a 3% from critics and 50% from audiences.
The six reviews praise the sequel. Luke Y. Thompson of the AV Club praised the sequel as “cinema at its most punk rock.” Molly Henery of The Blogging Banshee called it a “grizzly piece of meta horror that is sure to surprise audiences.”
It wasn't all overwhelming praise, though. Perhaps Blood and Honey 2's predecessor set the bar so low it'd be nearly impossible not to top it. Nonetheless, Mary Beth McAndrews called the sequel “a vast improvement” over the first film. However, despite its campy and weird nature, the film is still “too self-serious for its own good.”
Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey
Rhys Frake-Waterfield directed the viral Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey in 2023. The film first gained notoriety for being a horror film based on the popular children's IP. After the 1926 Winnie-the-Pooh book entered the public domain, Frake-Waterfield saw his opportunity and instantly took advantage.
Made on a small budget, Blood and Honey was still a big success. The first film was distributed by Fathom Events and made $1.75 million domestically in a few hundred theaters. It would also be distributed internationally, making another $3.91 million overseas, bringing the box office haul close to $5 million.
The film follows Christopher Robin as he returns to the Hundred Acre Woods. However, five years prior, he abandoned Pooh and Piglet to attend college, which sets them off as they become killers. They go after both Christopher and a group of young college students staying at a place nearby.
Of course, after seeing any semblance of box office success, a sequel would be made. Blood and Honey 2 was announced and Frake-Waterfield returned to direct the sequel. However, he stepped aside for Matt Leslie to write the sequel.
In the sequel, Pooh and Piglet go on another rampage. However, this time, it takes place in Christopher Robin's childhood hometown. They seek revenge for him revealing their presence to the rest of the world after the events of the first film. The sequel features an all-new cast, with Nikolai Leon, Craig David Dowsett, and Chris Cordell not returning from the first film.
The Twisted Childhood Universe
It won't end with Winnie-the-Pooh, though. Frake-Waterfield has launched the Twisted Childhood Universe with his Blood and Honey films.
There are other horror films based on children's IPs including Bambi, Peter Pan, and Pinocchio in the works. The TCU will hope to continue wrecking the childhoods of all.
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